We finished the race, 13.1 miles, YES! That was the goal & we ran till the end, making it in at our own "record breaking time" at 2:25! Well, to be honest, it was really our first half marathon, so anything's a record breaking time, right?! But nevertheless, WE DID IT, THANK YOU GOD! And, for 2 busy moms who definitely didn't take long enough to train, we were very grateful to just come in across the finish line! Yes, we're paying for it today in various forms of aches & pains, but I know they'll all go away soon & I'll be ready to sign up again for more agony. (:
We literally joined thousands of other runners out there early yesterday morning on the city streets of Houston for the Aramco Houston Half. I always forget how many other people in this world really "like" running, it's simply astounding. And, runners come in all shapes & sizes, all ages, all ethnic backgrounds, believe me, you'd be amazed & personally challenged if you experienced a race & saw "who" was running! When the almost 80 year old grandmother passed me by in a previous race years ago, I told myself I'd never complain about my own challenges again!
I was so glad to run with our neighbor Wendy who helped the time be not "quite" so grueling & we kept each other going through the duration of the hardest miles. It makes me think about life itself - how important it is to have friendships - who will run with us not just through the joyful, wonderful, & celebrative moments, but who are willing to stick with us through the sheer pain & agony of the most difficult moments this journey on earth can bring our way. I feel so blessed to have so many friends & family who will RUN with me in life, no matter what. THAT is the kind of friend I so long to be for others that God has brought into my life.
So wondering how the race went?
Well, we ran..we ran through our aches & pains, we ran & talked about life, about issues, about doing another marathon, we ran & prayed, we ran & asked constantly, "how ya doing?" "you O.K.?," we ran & spoke out scriptures, we ran & watched other runners...the blind runner who ran with a guide, he's the one the kept me going longer - amazing...we ran & listened to the crowds around us, cheering us on, "Go! You can do it!," we ran & thought, "Yes, we CAN do this!," we ran more & wondered, "Wait, CAN we do this???," we ran in silent misery through those last miles, we ran & stopped talking about doing another marathon, we ran & didn't want to stop running for fear we wouldn't be able to start again, we ran, we ran, we ran! You get the idea right?
And then, finally, the end was in sight! I think that can be the toughest part at times, those last few miles, it can become more of a mental challenge to continue...to keep putting one foot in front of the other & deny your muscles the satisfaction of stopping.
There it was, clearly marked, 2 miles, then 1 mile, then that last & most longed for .1 mile! Whew! We linked arms & came through together - we had FINISHED! Thank you Wendy for sticking with me till the end girl, you got me through that thing! I'm so thankful for you!
I'm reminded of how much marathons parallel our lives & journeys with God...so many truths that He can teach us more through this big world of RUNNING. More stories to come out of that along the way...
Thank you so much to all of you for your prayers, your encouragement along the way & especially for your thoughts & prayers for my dear friend Beverly in her fight against breast cancer. She will continue to be my inspiration in life & in running, as I sign up to do another in the near future.
love you all & am so grateful for your friendships!
"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
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